Stabilization of Boeing 737-800 and Douglas DC-8

This example shows how two different aircraft stabilize themselves from an orientation in which the initial yaw angle deviates 10 degrees from the direction of the initial velocity. It also demonstrates how the yaw motion is coupled with the roll motion as the default plot shows the induced roll of both aircraft from zero roll angle at the start of the simulation [1]. This is due to the different velocities seen by the right and left wings as the aircraft rotates around its body z axis and the consequent differential lift on each side [2].

Both aircraft are given constant commands to the actuators corresponding to a steady level flight in the given initial altitude and velocity, thus showing how the aircraft stabilize themselves without controlling them. The initial Euler angles can be adjusted in the control panel in Simulation Center to test stabilization from different initial orientations.

[1] Nelson, R. C. (1998). Flight Stability and Automatic Control. 2nd ed. McGraw-Hill.

[2] Cook, M. A. (2012). Flight dynamics principles. Butterworth Heinemann.